After putting my résumé through an online scan, I realized the problem with using the same one for every job

When Jobscan CEO and founder James Hu was applying for tech jobs a few years ago, he realized there was a wall between his résumé and actual human beings: applicant tracking systems (ATS). This recruitment software often weeds out candidates based on keywords in their applications.

"So I started optimizing my résumé for what recruiters might search for," he told Business Insider in an email. "But it would take me an hour to identify the top keywords and tailor each résumé."

To save other job hunters the drudgery, in 2013, he created Jobscan. The online service scans résumés and compares them with the keywords in specific job description.

Today, Jobscan has a team of ten employees and has scanned 2 million résumés to date. Users get five free scans — or 25, if you're long-term unemployed or in a financially dire situation. The site is also familiar with the top six ATS on the market, which cover 80% of all Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon, Deloitte, Snapchat, and Credit Suisse.

Fortunately, Jobscan provides you with a report, so I could figure out my résumé damage.

Áine Cain/Business Insider

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It turns out that my CV only lists one "hard skill" — journalism.

Áine Cain/Business Insider

When you look at the actual job description, it mentions a bunch of different skills that I should have included, such as social media and résumé writing.

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And forget about it when it comes to soft skills. I didn't list any at all on my résumé!

Áine Cain/

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I even missed out on including the bonus keyword "business."

Áine Cain/Business Insider

Keywords aren't everything. You could be completely qualified for a job and not have a keyword-optimal résumé (I hope). However, if you're looking to get your foot in the door somewhere, it really helps to make sure that you're getting through the company's ATS.

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If all else fails, Jobscan also helpfully provides a list of recommendations for jobs that do match up with your résumé.

Áine Cain/Business Insider

"You can improve your match rate by adding the missing keywords found from the scan, indicated by red 'x' in your scan report," Hu says. "You can also increase your match rate by matching your job title. This essentially means listing the required skills the job is asking for in case recruiters search for it. Even from a hiring managers' perspective, the recruiters or hiring managers will likely glance to see if you possess the relevant skills."

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Final thoughts

So, what did I learn from scanning my CV? Well, it's really important to make certain you're tailoring your résumé to specific roles.

That doesn't mean just switching around some bullet points and tweaking the language a bit. It means lacing your résumé with keywords from the job description itself. Jobscan can help you identify some of those keywords, and thus optimize your résumé.

It's worthwhile, if it helps your application to break through the ATS and end up in front of an actual human being. Once you're there, it's up to you.